


Thule

by Who_First



Category: The Thing - All Fandoms
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-11-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-26 08:50:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/281101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Who_First/pseuds/Who_First
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Au from the 2011 movie, What if more people had heard the dog die, if they understood what the creature was earlier, would it change anything?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Read the warnings and you're good. Updated and revised.

 

**Thule**

**Thule**

  
  
Thule.   

It meant ‘far off land’. Or in some cases an unattainable goal. Kate thought it was particularly apt name for the Norwegian research station. At least in the unattainable goal aspect, it was very much to the south on any map. Even on the maps that once called the Antarctic Terra Incognita. 

Though based on the find left in the garage, maybe it should still say Terra Incognita.

Arms curled around her chest as she stared blindly at the sign announcing the Thule Research Station. Kate was dressed for the freezing temperatures, but standing still in the Antarctic would never be a good idea no matter how dressed for the cold she was.

But she’d needed to get away from the others; there was something wrong about celebrating the thing stuck in the ice.

Kate had been excited, had been celebrating in fact, but the sour taste in mouth increased and her stomach roiled until she excused herself. But the feeling that there was something wrong just increased.

And she hadn’t been the only casualty to this feeling. Griggs had left earlier to get more beer from the helicopter, Juliette had wandered off even earlier claiming exhaustion. Halversen had left to examine to sample more, with Adam following. In fact the majority of the researchers and others had all left to be alone it seemed.

Kate wondered if anyone else would acknowledge this sick feeling of anticipation gathering in the research station. She knew where it was gathering, in that closed of room with the sarcophagus of ice trapping the thing from another world. The thing that was too inhuman to comprehend, with the claws of a deep sea crab, blue worms that seemed to writhe as hair, and those horrible red eyes that stared out at them in hate and insanity.

“Probably not,” Kate sighed to herself, thinking of the anticipation. She stretched, starting to walk back towards the building, with night well underway the temperatures had plummeted and even bundled up frostbite could be a risk.

Frenzied howling shrieked across the snow, echoing off of the buildings.

Kate jumped and fell back as she listened to the howling and high pitched yelps. There was a second of silence, and then sound exploded, people yelling, running figures coming out of nowhere as everyone raced towards the tortured dog’s cries.

No one saw who was coming from where, or if they were alone or not, each one too occupied with getting to the screaming dog. It was enough that there was many of them packed into the tiny space around the dog cage. No one could point out anyone that hadn’t been there.

All attention was riveted on the sight of the dog’s mangled corpse.

A thick blood drop fell from what once been white fur, the subdued sound of it splashing onto floor was the loudest sound in the room. Guts were hanging out, piled on top of previously white and black fur, stretched away and ending in pieces. Like they had been bitten off.

It hit the largest Norwegian like a slap; the sudden rush of him screaming in Norwegian rushed in to fill the silence, even as everyone else jumped on Lars. Trying to hold him back, away from the bloody mess that was once a living animal.

Another Norwegian started shouting back, screaming to be heard over the others, trying to get Lars to see reason. Just step back. Everyone was shoving against each other in panic and fear of what had killed the dog, what had left it lying in a pile of fur and blood, insides spilling outwards as though reaching for help from the arctic team. 

“All of you shut up!” Carter pushed through to the front, turning his back on the once dog, and holding his hands in front of him, trying to calm Lars down. “Tell him we’re gonna find out what happened. But if we wanna do that we need to calm the fuck down.”

The angry muttering continued, but it was lost under one of the others translating hurriedly to Lars, the ex-soldier locking eyes with the blond Vietnam vet, before he finally calmed down.

“Fine.” Carter glared at all of the assembled people. “Stay calm.” He looked over his shoulder, examining the scene. Using eyes that had once looked for the soldiers, civilians, and landmines of Vietnam.

“How the hell did that ice get in here?” He asked frowning, at the medium and small chunks spread around the dog’s corpse. Trying to the scene, what had happened, and not the blood soaked mess of wasted life.

“We’re in the bloody Antarctic, where d’you think the ice comes from.” The sardonically accented voice sneered from the crowd.

Carter didn’t bother to look back, hissing a reply even as he bent down to take a closer look. “There’s no other ice in here, genius.”

There was a long silence as the academics all looked at something that seemed to be perfectly normal. After all, they were in the Antarctic, ice was everywhere.

“He’s right,” Kate said slowly, stepping around one of the large men. “It doesn’t look like an icicle, or a piece that was kicked from a boot.”

“The ice could have gotten here anytime.” A male voice pointed out thickly, sounding confused at why they were arguing over ice.

“No,” The soft female disagreed. “It looks like most of the ice is on top of the dog.”

The room grew quiet, heavy with intent, as academics and researchers alike started pulling together the pieces. 

“Yeah,” Carter agreed, distractedly “You guys have anything defrosting?” He half muttered, standing up while holding a piece of the wet ice carefully.

“Oh-” hurried swearing and then people were racing out, “The specimen!” 

It could have been from a comedy, the great mass of people rushing away from the mangled corpse in the dog’s cage, to that back room where the find of the universe waited with frozen breath. Waited for the victims to come running in their arctic gear, not bothering to shed anything as they raced through the warm building to where the creature waited.

As the academics and ex-soldiers swarmed into the room, it was hard to see, hard for the American helicopter pilots to tell what the fuss was about, to understand the silence coming from the Norwegians.

As they spread through the room, each person staying as far from the thing resting in the center of the room as possible, Carter could see the giant ice block. 

He gazed around the room, looking at the Thule people crushing back against the walls, away from the broken ice, seeing fear and confusing sliding across those faces. He was confused at the fear, at why there was a chunk of ice melting inside the station, sure it was bad that something or someone had killed the dog, but what did this broken ice have to do with it?

Broken shards of melting ice were spread across the floor, shining like diamonds when they caught the light. Carter grimaced as he looked closer, seeing the rectangular cut of the ice standing in place, pilot’s eyes catching what could be claw marks on some of the thicker pieces. The size of the ice still in place scared him. What could have been so large and still alive to escape a coffin of ice?

“What was that?” Carter said carefully, watching the faces for anything. “Was there something in the ice?”

“It couldn’t,” Kate whispered to herself; it couldn’t still be alive after a hundred thousand years trapped in the ice. “It couldn’t still be alive.”

“Where is it?” Halversen growled, ignoring Carter’s angered question, and Kate’s horrified words. “It could not have just walked away.”

No, Kate thought looking at the destroyed ice, it exploded out of thousand year old ice and quietly left.

“Holy crap, man.” Jameson whispered, voice breaking through like a gunshot after Halversen’s words, as he pointed up, to the hole in the roof splinters of wood were still falling through.

 “Well apparently it did,” Carter shot back, irritated with the lack of answers, gazing instead at the giant hole.

“We need to search for it!” Wolner fisted his hands 

“Are you crazy?” Jameson tried not to shout, to scared of the thing that had made that hole and had come from the ice overhearing him. “You want to search for something that did that! At night?!”

“He is right,” Jonas murmured, tugging on his thick beard. “Edvard, it could be dangerous.” 

“We will go in pairs,” Halversen said, speaking over the nervous researcher. “We stay in pairs, and are armed. We will be fine.” He said firmly, over the muttering Norwegian.

“Like the dog?” Juliette asked quietly, fear etched into her face as she slowly met everyone’s eyes. “This thing will not get us, like the dog?”

Kate watched in worry as the French woman’s face turned green at the memory of the dog. Glancing up at that hole and then watching Peder move under it, to gaze fully upwards where the creature, the Thing, had escaped.

“It was a dog.” Halversen said calmly, “If it was the specimen that killed the dog, it will find us harder to deal with. Or are we not more intelligent than a dog.”

It was a good speech, Kate would admit, as they started pairing up and digging out weapons; flamethrowers and guns. Maybe something had been expected to attack with so many different weapons. Kate looked back at where Halversen was looking away from Juliette, directing the others into search parties, his little speech could have been better. Had Halversen met Juliette’s eyes, when he spoke. 

 *****

The groups moved outside, intent on finding whatever it was that had escaped the icy tomb. They started pairing up, making teams to go out and track down that _thing_ that had been in the ice.

When Juliette shivered, arms held close around her person, it had nothing to do with the cold. It was more than forty below and she was shuddering in fear. Scared of the thing that had escaped the ice. Still shivering she kept careful watch, flashlight flicking back and forth as she walked behind Karl. 

There was a cracking sound, the sound of fresh snow being crushed beneath a body.

Juliette spun around, flashlight swinging around trying to find the cause of the noise. 

The flashlight played wildly over the snow and the buildings, the light jerked around by the near hysteric woman. 

“Karl-“ She jerked her head around, looking wildly for the tall geologist.

There was nothing. Nothing but the snow, brilliantly white under the flashlight, the close set buildings and the shadows. Juliette froze, like the rabbit before the predator, as one of those shadows detached from the building.

A great hulking shadow made of writhing flesh and red eyes.

Tentacles speared out of the dark, Juliette tried shrieking as she leaped to the side, trying to avoid the grasping tendrils reaching for her. One thick pulsating tentacle wrapped around her head, thrusting through her lips, winding quickly down her throat, cutting her off mid shriek. 

Pain, gut wrenching soul searing pain stabbed through her. Juliette screamed, though none but her and the Thing dragging her up away from the solid ground knew. She was slapped backwards into the wood of the outpost building, the creature pressing closer. 

The French woman choked, trying to breath around the thick flesh invading her mouth and throat. More weaving tentacles wrapped around her arms and legs latching on firmly and pulling until she was spread eagle against the wall unable to do more than twitch.

Her heart was racing, adrenaline rushing through her body as that shadow leaned against her body. She couldn’t feel the cold of the frozen building against her back, her attention stuck on the tentacles as more burrowed their way through her clothing, wrapping around her waist and dragging her further upwards. 

It was getting hard to breath, and her skin was quickly going numb as her arctic clothing was ripped away from her body, fleshy ropes spearing through the outer edges of her waist, through the pelvic bones to hook into the building, holding even more firmly in place.

She couldn’t tell what the tentacles were doing, but the pain was immense ripping through the French woman. So much pain, she could feel when smaller tentacles started worming into her ears, her nose, the scent of them thick and musty with death and decay.

Vision graying out, Juliette still noticed when two thick and fleshy tentacles wriggled down her waist and toward the only holes not yet violated. She arched, teething snapping down on the tentacle filling her mouth with a burst of sickeningly sweet and old blood, 

The tentacle worming its way up through her hidden depths paused as Juliette shivered. Thin filaments reacted in the squirming flesh, and shot outwards; caressing her inner heat, poking here and there until she was quaking in constant pleasure.

Juliette didn’t have a last thought as that gray tunnel darkened to shadows, as the pleasure so overrode the pain she couldn’t feel the creature blending with her, sinking into her flesh. She was too preoccupied with the fear of the beast raping her entire being and with the pleasure racing through her body. 

She never noticed her last thought, mind ripped and flayed to pieces, before her quickly cooling corpse was dropped to the snow, lying wrapped in the tentacles consuming her.

If she’d had a last thought, it would have been about Halversen and the dog. About how the medical officer had lied and said she would be safe.

*****

“Did anyone find it?” Halversen pushed, as the people grouped back in front of the main building.

“Nothing,” Kate answered, wide eyes glancing around at shaking heads, she gestured at Adam before adding, “We heard noises, and got separated for a minute, but there was nothing.”

“Ja, so did we,” Karl agreed, waving at Juliette, “Noises, but nothing to make them.” The French geologist beside him nodded, but still looked as sick and fearful as when Halversen had proposed the search.

“Hjelpe!” The Norwegians stiffened and started running toward the panicked voice, American’s soon behind them, motivated by the terror in the voice. 

Olav stood motionless in front of one the under spaces. As one of the flashlights played over his face, black liquid flashed red. The warm fog of his breath was in clouds around his face as the short guide was hyperventilating. 

“What is it?” Wolner demanded, stepping up close. “Where is Henrick?”

“He-he-“

The stricken man pointed at the building, the area under the building, the crawl space filled with snow. 

“Back up-“ Carter shouted, as two of the others edged close to the space, waving Peder with his flamethrower closer.

“Meg gud,” Peder was bent over, nozzle of the flamethrower pointed in front of him as he saw the creature. 

“Kill it! Kill it!” 

Henrick’s legs were still visible, surrounded by teeth and pulsating flesh. Sounds of crunching bones and growling reached the Thule team and Americans, seconds before unearthly howling screams tore through the night as flames engulfed the crawl space and creature.

Soon the smell and taste of barbecued flesh hit the men, Kate chocked, gagging at the burning meat smell coiling in the back of her throat. Most of the others had also turned green, looking sick at the sight of the Thing from the ice and Henrick. What was left of Henrick. Jonas was supporting Olav, still covered in the spray of blood, the smaller man appearing to be in shock. His screams had ended by the time they saw the thing eating Henrick, but the whimpering noises and heavily dilated eyes staring into space where not much better. 

“Drag them out,” Halversen said flatly.

“Sanders, we don’t know that it is dead.” Wolner pointed out.

“Then Peder will burn it again. Pull it out; it still needs to be studied.” Halversen returned, glaring at the people around him. “We take it back to the lab.”

Kate wanted to scream how bad an idea that was, as bad as taking that sample when it was still in the ice in the first place, but she was already familiar to how Halversen would react to being critiqued in front of the others. From the looks on the faces around her she was not alone in that knowledge.

“Maybe we can do it in the morning?” Juliette half asked, “It is very late, we do not want to make mistakes.”

For a brief moment it looked like Halversen would fight, but in the end he inclined his head slightly, putting his focus on getting the creature and Henrick’s body back inside.

*****

That night dreams rampaged through the research outpost. Dreams of red eyes staring from beyond the darkness, of people, _things,_ with wild blue worms for hair.  

Three eyes glared from the shadows, the giant claws of some other worldly crab snapping at the human. Trying to avoid those deadly claws only led to being caught by thick frozen tentacles that slashed out of the dark grabbing, catching, holding, devouring. 

The fleshy ropes tightened, biting through clothing, into skin as the human was dragged forwards into the dark; meeting the creature. Panicking as those eye glared down at its’ victim sharp cutting teeth as bright as the blood filled eyes.

And the teeth grinned, full of lust filled hunger.

*****

Across the research station, people woke in fear, hearts clenching as they gazed into the shadows for the creature hidden away. Thinking that those teeth might still be there, just beyond sight, waiting. 

Carter stared blindly at the wall, he’d fallen asleep in one of the common area’s chairs, and woke up on the floor, hand stretched out to something. His heart was still pounding, seeing that thing grinning at him…

The ex-soldier shuddered, thinking of the anticipation that had been in that toothy smile. That thing had held him close and grinned at something, something only it knew, or had seen. And in the background had been screaming someone screaming away their last breath as that Thing _looked_ at Carter.

The feeling if dread settled in his stomach, as he refused to imagine what could cause a person to scream like that. 

“Carter-“

“Yeah?” The pilot stood up quickly, “What is it?”

*****

Kate watched the autopsy; standing next to Wolner, as Halversen cut open what was left of the burnt creature. Adam was seated at the side table, watching with a nervous almost disgusted look on his face at the creature and partially eaten remains.

Watching as Halversen cut into the carcass, Kate put a fist against her lips, lost in thought as the men talked over what the alien creature was made of. 

“What’s that?” Kate asked, eyes catching on the shiny object. 

“It’s a plate, for broken bone.” Halversen replied, more interested in the alien, then the unfortunate Norwegian.

“Henrick, had a badly broken arm.” Wolner offered, glancing at Kate. “The plate was put in because it would heal correctly.”

“But why is it outside of him?” Kate asked slowly, putting on gloves to pull out the shiny metal. It was quite shiny for being inside a person, and being partially eaten.

In the background the door opened again, letting in a quiet Juliette. Kate looked over at her, setting down the metal on the side table. Juliette avoided looking at the creature and what was left of Henrick on the table, more interested in pulling Wolner to the back to chat. Adam meanwhile, taken a sample of the creature and stuck it under the microscope for Kate to start taking notes on, much more important than paying attention to the arguement

“Olav needs real medical help, the storm will not set in until later.” Juliette was wringing her hands as she spoke quietly with Wolner, “They can take him on the helicopter without problem.”

Kate was only half listening to the argument; she could hear the dismissal, but was to busy staring into the microscope at the samples Adam had taken from Henrick’s half eaten and half burnt body. The cells weren’t acting right, they were acting…

“Sanders!” Kate yelped, jumping away from the microscope, looking for the cold medical officer.

“What?” Halversen glanced at her, from where he and Adam where still bent over the dissected creature.

“The cells!” Kate backed up a step away from the microscope, her brain whirling as she thought of everything this could mean.

“They’re still alive.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Came the dismissive tones, the tall scientist stood up, carefully pulling off and throwing away his bloody gloves. “It cannot be alive.”

“If it was wouldn’t it have fought the autopsy,” Adam questioned. 

“It might be dead, but its’ cells are still alive.” Hate hissed pointing at the microscope. “Look!”

Sander’s looked annoyed, but walked over to the microscope she was pointing at anyway, sitting down her vacated chair to peer into the scope.

In the background Juliette turned back to Wolner. “Then can we take Olav out?”

“Wait,” Wolner said, turning away as he held up a hand to Juliette as he moved closer behind Halversen and Kate, “Well?”

Halversen had stiffened on the chair, pushing away from the table to look at the others with a subdued face.

“More samples, Adam.” He stood stiffly, staring off into space before he turned back to Wolner, “We have a problem.”

“Did you see it?” Kate demanded, eyes huge as she glanced at the microscope. “It’s replicating his cells.”

“What?” Wolner looked aghast at Kate, “Sanders?”

In the background Juliette twitched. .

“No one can leave,” Kate continued.

“No,” Halversen agreed. “Adam the samples, then gather everyone in the common area.” 

The hair on the back of Kate’s neck rose, dread pooling in her stomach in a nauseating wave. She turned around looking at where Juliette had been standing quietly, even as the squishing cracks of breaking bones and tearing flesh reached Kate’s ears.

“Oh my god,” Kate whispered watching in shock as the Thing that had been Juliette gained height, its’ spine break and stretching.

The four humans still in the room, crowded together like sheep, all moving backwards as the Juliette-Thing took shuddering steps forward, its’ whole body shaking and trembling with every movement. 

The Thing opened its’ mouth, the unearthly howling screaming tearing through the room. The mandible dropping open from the once pretty mouth, a tentacle once disguised as its’ tongue spilled out, whipping through the air. The cold weather jacket was ripped apart as more arms and tentacles extend from the Juliette-Thing’s sides, exposing dead grey flesh splitting into hungry teeth. 

Kate’s heart was in her throat, as the fleshy ropes hit the ground and started for the humans. Her eyes darted around the room, trying to find something they could use as a weapon against the alien. Her eyes caught sight of the red plastic attached to the wall and she lunged. Halversen caught her as she slipped on the floor, keeping Kate mostly upright as she stretched and pulled the fire alarm.

The sudden harsh blaring of the alarm made the Thing shriek louder, through the mouth in its stomach.

Kate caught a glimpse of what was left of Juliette’s face. The eyes were glazed over and dead looking, her face from above the mouth looked like some dead thing just hanging onto the monster made from the rest of the geologist’s body. 

Behind it the door burst open as Karl ran in with a fire extinguisher, with the others behind him. 

“Kill it!” someone was screaming as the monster turned and was struck with a spray of frozen carbon dioxide. 

Then Lars stumbled through the crowd, shoving people aside, with his flamethrower. 

“What the fuck man!” Jameson screamed at the sight of the burning Juliette-Thing, jumping backwards and holding onto others behind him.

“Meg gud!” Lars was shouting as a burning tentacle hurled towards them through the air, slapping against Karl shoving the tall geologist into the wall amid more screaming.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Colin’s breathed, holding onto Jonas’ shoulder looking around the bulky Norwegian as the Thing fell to the floor, tentacles curling in as muscles burned. “Is that Juliette?” he asked hoarsely.

“No,” Kate chocked out, still leaning into Halversen’s hold. “It was that Thing. Pretending to be her.” She gasped suddenly. “No! Don’t touch him!”

Peder froze where he was bent over Karl, ready to give the other geologist a hand up. 

“Kate,” Halversen queried, letting go of her as she stumbled forwards.

“We need to make a test,” Kate was saying quickly, “Find out which of us is which.” She had seen the Thing knock Karl into the wall, and who knew how little contact there needed to be to start the replication process, to infect someone. The whole the burning tentacle had left in Karl’s arm was a large bleeding hole, that pale clammy hands were clutching.

“She’s right,” Halversen finally said, surprisingly. “Everyone to the common area- be sure not to interact or touch each other.

As the men started filling out, Peder and Lars pausing to carefully wrap the smoking Thing in a tarpaulin, before removing it from the lab room, taking it outside to be burned more. Kate could see Carter glancing back at her, watching over others shoulders she frowned when he abruptly turned away. 

*****

Karl was helped into a chair by Griggs and Jonas, both with their arms wrapped up where they had to touch him. The scrapes along his side, and the puncture in his right arm had stopped bleeding but still looked bad, like something had stabbed through the flesh.

As soon as the tallest Norwegian was settled in a chair both Peder and Jonas backed away, throwing away the clothing they had wrapped around their arms and hands to hold him up.

Soon all the Thule and company was settled apart from each other in the common area, under Wolner’s watchful eye as they waited for Halversen and Kate. Someone had even brought in Olav; the guide wrapped in a blanket, staring at nothing as he shivered on the couch.

Carter had settled in a corner, the farthest from everyone else, sitting on the floor to watch everything and one else in the room. He and everyone else had seen the thing in the lab, the Thing that still had part of Juliette’s face attached. It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together to get a body-snatching alien.

His left hand went up to tug on the thin hoop of metal hooked through his ear. Tugging for luck, superstitions aside, tugging to make sure he’d only dreamed of it vanishing and voices screaming at him.

He felt like he was back to standing on the edge of the darkness again, right in front of a wall of black shadows, listening to paranoid and angry whispers from all sides and the feeling of bloody red eyes devouring him.

“Sa snill, please…” Olav was praying into the thick blanket. 

Carter glanced at him warily, happy to have been brought away from thoughts of that Thing, but not so happy at the sign of the impending breakdown.

“Make it stop!” Olav was shouting now, almost struggling with the blanket, repeating phrases in English and Norwegian. “Always with the eyes! The shadows following, the eyes!”

Carter stiffened, sitting up straighter against the wall, so completely focused on Olav he missed the complete quiet as everyone stared at the formally quiet guide. 

“Eyes?” Carter asked getting up on his knees, voice breaking as he thought of the three red eyes that followed him through the shadows, trying to drag him in.

“Too many eyes,” Olav whimpered staring insistently at Carter, falling to the floor as he finally fell from the couch, thudding against the hard wood. “They stare, and it hates… so hungry.” Olav lunged at Carter, wrapping trembling arms around the pilot’s waist and hanging on; even as the ex-soldier’s hands itched to break bones that had foolishly gotten too close.

Kate gasped from the doorway, big eyes staring at the terrified man wrapped around Carter. 

“Bloody!” Olav was sobbing as he clutched Carter, “They want to eat me!”

The panicked looking pilot patted awkwardly at Olav’s shoulder, tears were tears no matter what sex was sobbing. Not to mention snot.

“Red eyes?” Kate asked stepping into the room, she didn’t sound scared her face was flat, and Carter could see her chewing on her lower lip. “Three red eyes?”

Now everyone, aside from the Norwegian soaking Carter’s jacket, was staring at Kate. Panic, distrust, wild emotions on everyone’s face. Apart from Olav clinging to Carter, all of the Thule people were separated. None within an arm’s length of each other.

“We all had the dreams right?” Kate said, teeth chewing her lip, but voice steady. “Something trying to attack us,” She talked over Olav’s mutterings of being eating, “the Thing, with three red eyes, and tentacles for hair.”

“Hungry,” Olav moaned wetly into Carter.

Jonas nodded slowly, looking at the floor and refusing to meet any eyes, “Ja, I saw it.”

Peder was the next to nod, followed by the American’s, upon turning to face him Kate could see that Halversen nodded with tightly compressed lips and Adam with nervous jerks of his head.

“What a crock of shite.” Colin’s sneered. “So we all had nightmares about that Thing, who wouldn’t after it ate Henrick? It proves nothing.”

“I don’t remember the thing in the ice having hair, of any kind.” Kate said calmly. 

There was silence from the Englishman, Colin frowning at nothing and sitting back into the chair he had claimed.

“Then what d’you expect ta do now.” Colins’ accent got heavy with anger coloring his words.

“This Thing, attacks and replicates us.” Kate started, looking at everyone in turn. “It was eating Henrick when we killed it, but it was still copying and replacing his cells. At some point it must have gotten to Juliette and… absorbed her. It took over Juliette and pretended to be her until it attacked.” Kate took a deep breath, not letting her nerves show on her face.

“It became her. It could be any of us.” 

“Fucking insane, man.” Jameson was the first to speak but he was quickly followed by everyone else chiming, shouting, in. 

“Don’t let it eat me,” Olav begged, looking up at Carter with watery eyes. “I don’t want to be one of them.” 

“Eh,” Carter was still patting at Olav, “Kate’s on top of everything. She’ll figure it out.” Carter tried to reassure, his words fell flat as those eyes stared.

Then Karl was falling forwards, puking blood, face splitting in half, human scream changing into an inhuman screech. The inhuman screams were quickly joined by more human shouting and screaming.

“Where’s the flamethrower?! Lars!”

Kate grabbed the flamethrower from the doorway where it had been abandoned, ignoring Halversen and Adam backing away behind her, and the others crouching against the far wall. Ignored the screaming, human or otherwise, and aimed the nozzle not bothering to heft the large pack. 

Soon Karl was nothing more than a twitching black shape. Kate moved forwards, ignoring the men shuddering against the wall, and leaned over what was left of Karl. Something shiny caught her eye, bright almost new looking metal among the blood on the floor. 

Looking around, Kate grabbed a napkin using it to pick up one of the metal pieces.

“A crown?”

*****

“You saw Henrick, the metal had been pulled out of his body and left alone, when Karl transformed his metal fillings fell out. This Thing can’t recreate inorganic material.” Kate argued, shaking the metal in her hand. 

“It is interesting,” Halversen agreed caustically. “But what of the people who have never needed dentistry work? No. We will not cause a panic by checking mouths for dentistry. I will create the blood test and we will do this scientifically.”

They were arguing in the corner, away from the others, neither wanted to increase the paranoia gripping the station, even as Kate fought with him over testing.

“It’s a way to at least find out who is still human.” Kate insisted. “Anyone could be one of those Things. We can’t risk anyone else being infected. We need to take measures.”

“Indeed, but we will not do so by causing more panic.” Halversen was calm.

“Fine.” Kate gazed over the others. “But we need to lock up all the weapons. We can’t risk having guns out with the paranoia. We can leave the flamethrowers out, but we need to have a careful watch on them. And disable the vehicles.”

“Yes Kate. I can comprehend that myself.” Halversen frowned at her. 

“I just-“

“Enough Kate,” Halversen interrupted annoyed. “Why don’t you gather the guns to be locked up. Adam and I will start on the test.”

“Fine,” Kate backed off, “Carter? Can you help me lock up the guns?”

“Sure,” The pilot said after a pause, nudging Olav off of him before standing. 

There was staring from the others, and half mumble swearing. But no one tried to stop Kate’s orders, not even the difficult Colin. Carter walked behind her, quieter than before the whole mess had started. 

“Are you all right?” Kate asked, holding the cabinet door open as Carter set down the guns.

“What? Oh fine.” Carter said vaguely, distracted by something else. 

“Well I wanted to check on Halversen and Adam.” Kate glanced at the pilot, watching as he half nodded still lost in thought but following her.

*****

“Kate. Did you need something?” asked Halversen’s cool voice, Adam was behind him, hands wringing together nervously.

“I wanted to check on your progress.” Kate glanced at Carter who was standing silently in the doorway. 

“Of course.” Halversen murmured, ignoring her otherwise. “While you are here, do be of some use and help Adam go retrieve the new blood samples from the others. I will be there momentarily with the microscope and prepared slides.”

Adam nodded nervously, glancing around Halversen at Kate, before picking up clean test dishes. He stepped back as Kate moved forwards and grabbed a sterile scalpel.

In the doorway Carter moved aside as Kate and Adam stepped through to return to the common area.

“Carter, would you stay for a moment?” Halversen asked calmly, keeping his eyes looking through the microscope.

“Did you need something Doc?” Carter asked standing in the doorway after Kate and Adam had left. He refused to move any closer to the Norwegian doctor.

“I wanted your opinion on the creature.” Halversen stated calmly, icy eyes glancing away from the microscopic and up at Carter.

“Why?” Carter asked, still remaining still. “I’m no scientist.”

“No.” Halversen agreed, almost amused at the American, he stood carefully, one hand trailing on the wooden table as he watched Carter. “But you are a soldier.”

“Ex.” Carter interjected. “Flew in ‘Nam, why?”

“Do you think we are dealing with a soldier here?” Halversen glanced almost fondly at the microscope. “Imagine soldiers that could become anyone, any living thing. It would be a very useful trait.”

“Maybe,” Carter slowly took a step backwards, out of the lab. “But can they really change shape? The one we dealt with have taken over people and exploded.” Carter could feel a cold wave of fear wriggle, like those blue worms for hair, through him.  “They didn’t look like anything human after that.”

“Well that would depend on the creature.” Halversen turned to Carter with amusement. “There are different types to every species. It is possible that there is an… animalistic type and one that is more….human in temperament.”

“Sure, Doc.” Cater felt his stomach sinking with doom, “Why tell me?” He really wanted to run, scream, anything to help; but cold blue eyes kept him still, frozen in the doorway.

“You saw Juliette, didn’t you Carter, there was nothing left of her. Nothing left that was…human. Maybe it depends on the person absorbed.” Halversen continue, he took a step away from the table, the fingers of his trailing hand dropping to his side. “Juliette was never very assertive. A rather quiet, unassuming woman.”

Carter stayed frozen his hands clenched at his sides, as he wished for one of the guns that Kate had insisted be locked up. Everything in him was shouting at him to run from the danger. Everything except that part was still pure soldier. That part was saying never turn your back on the superior predator. 

“A soldier would be more suited, do you agree?”

“Don’t think anyone is suited to be taken by a body stealing alien.” Carter ground out hoarsely. He thought of Juliette, the French geologist had been too shy to ever speak to him, but she had been a person. Someone that had her own goals and fears in life. 

“Body stealing?” Halversen asked curiously, eyebrows rose over blue ice. Should be red, Carter half thought.

“Sci-fi movie; Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” Carter blurted out, amused predators are always better than bored predators. “The aliens took over and replaced the humans.”

“How interesting.” Halversen murmured. “Are you scared of that happening, Carter?”

The pilot stared at what, possibly, could still be Halversen, but was much more likely to be the Thing.

“Carter.” The snapping the pilots attention back to the tall man.

“…Yes…” Carter refused to meet the other’s eyes, staring at the chin below smugly amused lips. “But that’s because nobody will survive. As the mouth he was watching tightened into a flat line, Carter was quick to add; “Kate was right. Can’t risk that that Thing getting out of here.”

“Really, Carter.” Teeth flashed, to white, was it possibly for a human to have teeth that white and shining? “Do you remember the first victim?”

“Juliette?”

“And you were so take charge.” Halversen sighed in disappointment. “The dog, Carter, the dog.”

“What about it?” Carter asked cautiously, thinking back to ripped and ruined flesh, of the lifeless puppet that had once lived, just like Juliette and Karl, another victim of the Thing pulled from the ice.

“It could easily have been replicated. And be running to one of the other bases as we speak. Thule is not the only base in Antarctica.” Halversen paused, giving Carter a long look. “I believe there are two bases close to even.”

Carter stiffened, the idea that the Thing was already closing in on the other bases had never occurred to him.

“There’s the Russian base, and I believe the American outpost 31. Do you know anyone over there?” Halversen’s voice sounded amused, no worried at all at all about what was going through the ex-soldier’s head. 

“Carter. Stop being ridiculous and come in here; sit down. I promise I won’t bite.” Halversen grinned at him. All white teeth and fangs.

Carter flashed back to Karl. Watching his head splitting open to show teeth, hungry teeth. But the scientist was looking annoyed now.

“Sorry Doc, but I really don’t want to.”

“You, yourself, said that everyone here must die.  Be the brave soldier and come in.” There was a pause for the lips to quirk into another half smile.” After all… it keeps me away from the others.”

The blond head jerked back, looking to icy eyes. Carter thought about Griggs, and Jameson, his fellow pilots, and Kate with her huge eyes and sweet smile.

And then Carter stepped into the room, letting the door close behind him. The soft sound of the door closing, did nothing to relieve his fear.

“Good boy.” Halversen smirked.

Carter leaned back against the door, dropping to sit like he had earlier, back in the common room before Karl had transformed.

“Why me?”

“I am a soldier myself.” Halversen had started pacing at the other end of the room, not getting any closer to Carter but the looks he was sending… “You are much smarter than you let people see. No one else noticed to ice until you pointed it out. Who would look for ice in Antarctic?” 

Carter couldn’t tell if the man, the Thing, was amused or what the odd emotion playing across the creature’s face was.

“We don’t always completely take over.” Halversen said, waving a hand as he continued to pace. “If we spread out to much, we become…” he paused staring into the distance, “More animalistic. Like Juliette, you remember, she was dead. Dead the moment she was absorbed.”

“And… you?” Carter didn’t know why he was asking but, he supposed, anything to keep the creature at the other end of the room.

“We came to an… interesting agreement.” The Thing grinned white fangs at Carter. “As I said, I don’t take completely over. Sanders was happy to take what I could offer.”

“What about Juliette? Karl?” Carter stared at his legs, stretched out in front of him on the cold floor, letting the monster know he wasn’t planning on going anywhere. “You said it, she was dead.”

“Regrettable.” Halversen acknowledged. “As I said, stretched too thin, there will be accidents. You had just attempted to murder us.”

“Char broil,” Carter muttered. “Don’t play with me; Juliette was gone before that wasn’t she? You couldn’t have taken her after, you… it… was dead. When did Halversen even get infected?”

When the silence became too uncomfortable, Carter glanced up slightly, just enough to see Halversen staring blankly at him.

“Come here, Carter. Do not have me make you.”

Carter stood up slowly, warily; Halversen wasn’t human anymore, no matter how human he looked and acted. And now he was holding one of the dissecting scalpels he’d used earlier. Silently berating himself at this new sign of insanity, Carter moved forwards, stopping only a foot away from the Halversen creature.

Making slow careful movements, making sure that Carter was watching every move; Halversen gently cut away a small piece of burnt flesh from the alien corpse on the table. Carter noticed that his still took the time to pull on disposable gloves before touching scalpel to the burnt remains.

The small piece of alien skin was chopped into finer pieces by the quick movements of the scalpel, once of the thin slivers placed on slide and under the microscope. Halversen was quiet as he worked; paying no attention to the human beside him, so much involved in his work that Carter took a short step backwards.

Stopping quickly and cringing when the red eyes opened in the back of his mind and glared, low growling echoing through his head.

“Look.” Halversen glanced back up at the pilot, sending him a very bland look, not commenting on Carter attempting to move away. Halversen paused again, and then beckoned Carter to come closer, very noticeably not moving away from he was standing beside it, merely watching as the pilot inched slowly closer.

All the hair on the back of Carter’s neck was standing straight up, as was the hair everywhere else, as the monster motioned him forwards. Just when he thought he couldn’t possibly get and stupider he sidled closer. Finally he took his eyes off the creature he was so close to that he could feel the other’s body heat, and looked into the microscope.

He had no idea what he was looking at, even after he fumbled at adjusting the scope, it was just small weirdly shaped objects scuttling around. Circular shapes moving slowly across the view.

“What I am supposed to be looking at,” Carter finally asked, backing away to look at Halversen. The noises started in the back of his head again, the sound seeming to move like the creature was pacing around him, making Carter cringe as he stared at the cause.

The answer didn’t come immediately; Halversen was staring through Carter, obviously thinking on something else, almost frowning.

“I wonder,” The Doctor said slowly, blue eyes sharpening to focus on Carter, “Why some of you humans can feel us so easily and some only barely.”

Carter cringed, thinking of Olav and his breakdown screaming about the many eyes, and of the red eyes he could feel even now in the back of his mind, prowling around him like the predator they belonged to.

“Life.” Halversen finally answered, glancing down at the microscope, before looking back up and cocking his head at Carter; a faintly amused look at the space that quickly appeared between them as the pilot scooted back further. “Should anything truly ‘dead’ be moving?”

Not understanding at first, Carter stared questioningly at Halversen, with quick glances at the Thing’s ‘corpse’.

“That, Carter, is cellular life, we were not dead as was hoped.”

Halversen let Carter have a brief moment of panic realization that Halversen wasn’t the only threat left in the room, no matter how small the other may be, before Halversen lunged.

Carter was shoved backwards over the wooden table, microscope crashing to the floor as the table was knocked against the wall, one of Halversen’s hands tight around his throat. Even as black spots erupted in front of his eyes, Carter thrashed under the stone grip, trying to get away from the eyes staring at him. Too many eyes, like Olav had been screaming earlier. At the point of passing out, Carter could still feel the cold blue eyes of Halversen, staring only inches away from his own, and he could feel the insanely purring red eyes like it was rubbing against his mind.

“Shh, Carter,” Halversen cooed softly, breathing against the pilot’s cheek, voice hollow and distant to Carter’s ears. “You are going to rest for a bit, we will talk more later.”

* * * * *

Kate walked away from the lab room slowly, walking behind Adam as she peered back over her shoulder at Carter’s form still standing in the 

doorway. She couldn’t imagine what Halversen could possibly want to talk about with the pilot and felt almost nervous leaving Carter alone in the lab.

But then the lab room, and Carter’s shadow, were both out of sight and it was no longer so important. She was walking quickly now, wanting to find out as soon as possible if there was anyone else infected by the Thing and who it would be.

Stepping back into the large common area, she could feel the barely restrained panic coming from all sides. And it was sides; the people left alone had grouped up, still with plenty of room between them, but further away from other groups. In each corner of the room almost. Peder and Jonas were nearest to the door, talking softly in Norwegian, while Colin was separate and scowling at the makeshift bar. The two Americans in the room, Griggs and Jameson were crowded at one of the tables in the back. And Olav was alone, huddled in a ball at the corner Carter had been sitting in earlier, hands over his ears and moaning. Kate was quick to notice the missing members.

“Where did Wolner and Lars go?” Kate asked after glancing around the room.

“They went to fetch sedatives, and rope.” Jonas answered quietly, nodding his head at Olav. “We feared he may be getting worse.”

“We ought to have locked him in one of the sheds,” Colin hissed from his stool, glaring at the quivering and moaning human ball in the corner. Ignoring Jonas’s reproachful look. 

“Hey, where’s Carter?” Jameson demanded, standing up at the table the Americans were occupying.

“He will be here soon, he and Sanders are talking.” Kate assured putting down the scalpel she had been carrying on the bar top. “We need to get samples from everyone for the test.”

“To make sure we’re human?” Colin sneered, fists clenched against the wood, “Bloody ridiculous, wouldn’t we have changed, like Karl, by now if we weren’t?”

“Who knows, how long Juliette was infected before she changed,” Kate glared back. “We have to be sure.”

Adam had set down most of the sample dishes and was spinning one in his hands as he waited for Kate to get to the point.

“We need blood samples,” Kate continued, waving a hand at Adam.

“And how will that bloody help?” Colin was looking mutinous, and the others were close behind him.

“It helps because we can add cells from the creature to it.” Kate started as Wolner spoke up from behind her. “If the creature’s cells start attacking the human cells, replicating them, then the person is still human.”

“I thought that fucker was dead!” Jameson swore, standing back away from the table he’d been sitting at, “How the fuck will you get cells from it?”

“Even now this is still cellular activity in the burnt remains” Kate continued quickly, “We’ll double check to make sure before we add the creatures cells to the blood samples.”

She stepped further into the room, moving closer to Adam and Colin at the bar, to let Wolner, and Lars behind him, walk into the common area. Lars looked curiously at Kate before walking over and taking a seat near Peder and Jonas.

“Where is Sanders?” Wolner asked, looking at Kate.

“He’ll be here; he’s still in the lab talking with Carter.” Kate answered

Wolner frowned, looking around the room, before nodding in comprehension at who Carter was. “I assume you wish to take the blood samples now?”

“Yes,” Kate broke off as Adam interrupted.

“Actually, let me go get Dr. Halversen, he’ll want to watch and do the test here where everyone can see.”

“Alright,” Wolner said evenly, “Peder, help me with Olav.” He ordered, moving quietly over to the shuddering guide.

Kate watched in apprehension as they pulled Olav over the coach, tying him, but the guide let them staying limply where he was placed. The needle filled with a sedative was taken just as easily, Olav only shuddering slightly as the needle pierced through his skin. Falling limply to his side even before the sedative had time to kick in, staring at the door that exited toward the lab. 

Waiting for the others.

*****

Olav was in the corner where Carter had left him, rocking in place with empty eyes, ignoring the others as they argued. Kate watched as he murmured to himself in Norwegian, biting her lip in worry as shaking heads beat against his head. 

And she wasn’t the only one watching. Colins eyes were shooting around the room as he tried to watch everyone, and anything, for signs of the alien. The Englishman’s jaw was jutting forwards, even as he hunched over his crossed arms, fear and anger warring across his face. 

The Norwegians, apart from Olav’s hunched inward form, were almost congregating together. There was plenty of space between them, just in case, but they had a side of the room to themselves. 

Peder was sitting on one of the benches, his favorite toy resting against his leg, as he avoided anyone else’s eyes. Too lost in thought over his deceased comrades and afraid of who he might have to kill. Jonas sat across from him, mouth a thin line lost in his great beard, worried eyes on his friend. 

Lars was at the next table over, eyes tracking and sudden movements, while Edvard stood near him against the wall. The head of Thule station had his eyes fixed on the doorway back to the labs. 

The other Americans were likewise huddled together, both pilots eyes were fixed on the door like Edvard, waiting for their third member. Well almost. Jamison’s gaze was zeroed in on the door, while Griggs would glance around the room checking on the other people. Kate hoped Carter would be back quickly too; he seemed to be the only other person who understood how dangerous the creature was, and the only other sane man. 

The celebration of finding alien life felt like it was centuries ago. 

Kate shivered in the tense atmosphere, Adam was still behind the table close to the door with the blood tests. Her old friend looked distant and worried, they were all so worried, but his eyes were to similar to the panic in Olav’s to feel safe. 

Halvorsen strode in, tall and cold as the ice surrounding them, his eyes moving around the room over the gathered people. Gloved hands carefully held the glass dish with it’s dangerous sample, as he moved next to Adam.

Out of the corner of her eye Kate saw the two pilots were sitting up and glaring, stiffening as they realized that Carter wasn’t trailing behind the cold bastard of a scientist. 

“Where’s Carter?” Jamison was the first to speak, rolling over Edvard’s greeting, as the doorway remained empty. 

Halvorsen gave the pilot a look Kate recognized, the same cold irritation as when she had questioned him while taking the original sample through the ice. And look how that had turned out.

“I assume he will be here shortly.” The scientist was indifferent as he turned to Edvard. 

“I’m not playing with you man, where the fuck is he?” Jamison’s fists were going up as Kate started moving between them.

“Hold on!” Kate put her hand up, Jamison stopping just before touching it, turning her face to glare stubbornly at the annoyed scientist. “Halvorsen, where did Carter go?” 

“I am not the man’s keeper.” Halvorsen’s cold eyes almost rolled. “He informed me he was retrieving something from the helicopter.”

“You let him go alone?” Kate was shocked, didn’t the other scientist understand the danger in being alone at the moment?

“At the moment.” Halvorsen’s eyebrows rose, while his lips twisted in almost amusement. “I assure you, he is much safer on his own.”

“What the hell do you mean by that?!” Jameson was only held back by Kate’s glare and Grigg’s mumbled words and hand against his back.

“Simply put. If we are all in here, than no one is free to harm him.” Halvorsen rewarded the other pilots with disappointed looks. The sad teacher once again disappointed by his students. “Currently he is in fact the safest person here.”

“Hey.” Kate had her arms wrapped around her body in protection, but she still glared hard at Halvorsen. “We need to stay _calm_ , remember?”

Halvorsen glanced at the woman, expression looking utterly flat, as he eyed her. Then, very slowly, looked around the room at the people standing as far as possible from each other. Paranoia etched across every face, from Olav’s near insanity to Colin’s angered eyes, stared back at him.

“Yes, of course. I can see how calm.” The icy eyes met Kate’s stubborn glare and narrowed before moving past her again. “Adam, do you have the samples ready?”

Adam’s head jerked up, eyes wide and shifty, as he hovered over the dishes. 

“Well?” 

“Yes,” Adam looked down, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes, as he held up one of the blades. “Just need blood samples from everyone.”

“Good.” Halvorsen nodded sharply, giving Kate an appraising look. “Kate. If you would be the first?”

Kate bit her bottom lip, ignoring the odd gleam in the older scientist’s eye, and stepped up to Adam, holding out her hand. 

Adam shifted again, scalpel shaking in his loose grasp, shifting from foot to foot as he eyes moved wildly. The adam’s apple bobbed, swallowing and coughing as Kate stepped closer, face going chalky.

“I-i-i d-don’t think it’s a, a good idea.” Adam dropped the scalpel on the countertop, backing away with wide eyes. 

“Adam?” Kate hesitated, she wasn’t going to step forward without being sure what was wrong. “What’s going on?”

“This Thing can be anyone!” Adam screamed, waving his arms, spittle flying from his mouth. “We could all be infected and not realize! What’s the point of test?!” 

His arms came out, colliding with the prepared blood tests and scalpel, sending the equipment crashing to the floor. Adam kept screaming, as Kate jumped back away from the flying glass, scalpel slicing through his arm as he jumped at Halvorsen. 

More screaming and swearing erupted as Halvorsen fell backwards, with Adam on top of him, the sample of alien flesh flying away. 

The screaming intensified as the piece flew, people shoving backwards over each other to escape the falling sample, ignoring Adam being kicked aside as Halvorsen stood roughly. 

Jamison’s arm came up, hidden gun pointing at Adam as he screamed, shaking as he aimed.

“Calm down man! Don’t make me shoot!”

“Where did it go!”

Kate tripped as someone shoved her aside, falling to her ass, hands coming protectively as one of them men rushed past her. 

“Is it alive?!”

“Kill him him! He is infected!”

“No, no no!”

“Wait!” Kate twisted, panicking as she looked up into the equally panicked men.

“Oh fuck!”

The shots rang out in quick succession, Adam’s cowering form dancing as the bullets impacted, before stunned silence fell with the corpse. 

Kate looked over her head, Jamison standing in pace with the smoking gun, eyes wide as he watched the still body.

“Oh my god.” Kate sat still, hands covering her mouth. “You...”

“He was that thing! He had to be!” Jamison’s voice shook as the others stepped away from him.

“And why was that?” Halvorsen’s harsh voice as he stood against the wall. “Because he was frightened as us all?”

“Hey man-”

“Ahhh! Help!” 

Kate spun around again, Halvorsen grabbing her arm, and pulling her up before she could back up into Adam’s feet.

Collins was dancing around as he screamed, both hands slapping at his pants leg, falling over and  screaming bloody murder. Still twisting around as he tried to escape the thing crawling up his leg.

“Help you bloody idiots!” Collins shrieked louder, grabbing at his right leg. “It’s crawling up my leg!”

Peder swung the flamethrower up, the heavy pack bouncing against his shoulder, as he pulled it up. The small flame within the metal mouth flicking on as he primed the weapon, aiming with deadly accuracy at the moving legs.

“No! Not like that!” Collins screamed again as he saw Peder aiming, hands flying up for protection, as he flinched.

“Peder!”

“Shoot the thing!”

“No! Wait Peder!” Kate watched with horrified eyes as the Norwegian’s finger tightened, almost in slow motion, on the trigger to the deadly flames.

Flames streamed out, hungry for flesh, Collins screaming as they hit his stretched out legs. The smell of burning meat hit Kate’s nose as the Englishman screamed louder, thrashing as the flames ate away at his legs, hand against her mouth and gagging. 

Unearthly shrieking joined in with Collins screams, tentacled muscle ripping away from the burning limb, twisting in agony as the flames continued to burn. It twisted harder growing and stretching as the flames ate away at it.  

“Burn it! Burn it!” 

Peder aimed again, switching to the twisting alien flesh, more flames spilling out of the weapon, as he backed up. The flames were spreading to quickly, eating along the alien flesh, the wood, and Collin’s clothing. 

“Get out of here!” 

Kate gasped again as Jamison shoved her towards the door, looking over her shoulder to see Olav open mouthed gasping as he skirted around the burning flames, and Collins shrieking pitifully as he tried to crawl away from the squirming flesh and his own burning legs. 

Another tentacle ripped through Collins, higher above the burning leg, turning the man’s screams to gurgles as it stabbed through his throat. 

Kate through another glance over her shoulder, almost stopping as the tentacle worm grew larger, twisting away with Collins’ head to escape the hungry flames.

The unearthly wailing, deep and screeching all at once, grew louder as it chased behind the escaping humans.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. I am still working on this.

Opening his eyes was a new and interesting form of torture. Eyes taking in his unimaginable surroundings, mind still insisting he was in Antarctica waiting to be eaten by a body stealing alien, scientists too stupid to survive decided would be a good idea to dig up. 

This was not Antarctica. Nor was it the lab he’d been in, while being choked unconscious by fingers they moved like tentacles, and threatened by creatures inside and outside of his mind.

Spires rose out of heavy fog, higher than any building he’d ever seen, looking more like horns or giant shells the way they twisted. But lights blinked across the enormous structure, on and off again, skittering their way across the twists like living creatures. 

It made Carter shudder, thinking back to eyes of that same shade, and start pinching his arm.

Thick, and heavy, weight shoved into his shoulder, bowling the pilot over before he could catch himself. Clacking, ripping noises as the shifting scales tore through his jacket as it moved past. 

_Hissss_

Carter stared up, mind stuttering _screaming_ , as a giant shadow loomed over him out of the grey landscape. Sharp scales, looking wet with fog and other darker liquids, dripping from the jagged hide. Horns and spikes bigger than him jutted out from the side, tiny creatures perched and moving along the natural weapons.

Hundreds of blinding red eyes stared.

One held the piece of fabric between long claws, three bloody eyes below the whipping blue hair.

_Need_

Something wrapped around his waist, yanking, twisting him back against hard muscle, and away from the hissing, _hungry_ , creatures. Carter shudder as something coiled through his short hair, shoving his face in the thing behind him, blocking his vision. Fear hummed through his body as the body holding him tight started purring. Low rumbling vibrations that shook through his bones and teeth, and fingers that pet at his scalp.

Then purring turned to growling, the human sized hissing creatures murmuring back just as menacingly, while the monster they rode rumbled deeply as it slunk away into the heavy fog. The scales and eyes reflecting back the murderous light until it was swallowed in the rising grey.

“ _Such an interesting place..._ ” 

Carter’s whole body shuddered, muscles spasming, eyes rolling back in his head, teeth clenching shut on hot meat, while the voice scratched nails down his brain with it’s voice. The claws in his hair released, Carter’s head falling  forwards, copper liquid pouring the bite in his lip.

And smashed against wood.

The alien vista was gone, replaced by the confusing sight of a wooden door, leaving him sprawled on a wooden floor that felt as cold as the ice outside. He’d been dreaming? Carter shuddered, remembering the things he’d seen that stared back just as evilly as the thing from the ice, _hope that was a dream_. 

A dream and not a glimpse of the future. 

Carter didn’t recognize the room he was in, but given the size, he figured it was a large closet. Which he was betting that was locked from the outside, and given the way his body remained limp on the floor despite his brain shouting get up and run, he wasn’t going to be able to get up anytime soon to double check that theory.

Still the fact that he was alive, or at least felt alive and still human, was nice. Surprising but nice. Even if he was basically put in time out by the body snatching alien.

Carter gasped in the cold air, one hand pushing him off the floor, while the other went to prod at the tender bruises circling his neck, hissing even at that light touch. Then hesitantly pressing against his lip, shuddering in pain as he felt the wet holes. And blood was so much warmer than anything else he could feel.

“What the hell?” Carter gasped in sudden pain, even whispered the words hurt coming out. Carter sat up, and just as quickly fell forwards to his hands and knees as the world spun, things moving uncomfortably in his stomach. 

“Fuck, Halversen. Kate.”

Stumbling to his feet, Carter fell forwards again, this time into the door, one hand weakly grabbing onto the doorknob and half held him up. Or at least semi vertical with bruised and broken lips brushing the wood.

Locked

“Fuck,” Carter whispered into the solid door, collapsing back down to his knees, head limp against the unmoving block, exhausted from dizziness and trying to replace his oxygen levels, maybe slow his heartbeat down from insane panicky levels.

Then he could feel his gut roiling as something worse occurred to him. More important then the sights he saw every time his eyes closed, or the fact and alien monster left him alive. 

Somewhere someone was screaming before it quickly broke off, and there was the scent of burnt flesh again, seeping in through the thin openings in the door. Carter fisted one hand against the door, wanting to pound and scream; for help, in anger, wishing he could do something for the creamers. All that came out of his mouth was a pain filled whimper.

What the hell had happened? Carter could remember talking with Halversen, realizing he was talking with one of those Things, could remember Halversen’s single hand around his throat choking him as the ‘good’ Doctor told him…something. 

Then he was in that... place. 

He shouldn’t have woken up at all, Carter realized. Or at least not woken up while still feeling human. The twisting feeling continued, acid rising in his throat, and mixing with the warm blood. Still in semi shock, Carter did start pounding on the door, as hard as possible, trying to make enough noise to be heard. Hopefully by something human.

A chill swept through his body, Carter throwing himself backwards by instinct, seconds before the door cracked and flew open, just missing his face. 

The light backlit the figure, throwing it into a dark human shape, arms spread, furry parka up around it’s head.

Blinding red eyes staring down at the wounded pilot. Filled with sick intelligence and hunger.

The light receded, for a moment it seemed like the light was coming from inside the hood with the insane eyes, then it was Halversen staring down with his smug ice eyes. Eyes equally insane as the red ones from the seconds before.

"Soldier." And was that disturbing almost purr the cold scientist or the alien creature. "You appear well rested."

His back hit the wall before realized he was moving. Quite the common response when one is being stared at by a _hungrydieneed_ creature from the ice.

Red eyes opened and smirked. 

* * * *

The tentacle ripped free of it’s host, angry cells pulling together, creating a new creature. But the not the intelligence needed to survive. 

 ** _So hungry. Warm blood. Not the heat, externals on fire. Blood_**. 

 _“Safe, radio room, safe there- please be safe, don’t want to be that bloody thing-_ ” 

The creature twitched at the echoing thoughts, slowly lengthening hiding in the shadows as it changed.

 ** _Yes. Go where the warm blood was safe. Look safe. Feed_**.

** **

The cold touch made his skin crawl. 

Carter had his hand braced against the wood, staring blankly at the Halversen-Thing, and trying really fucking hard not to panic. The thing looked perfectly human, and at ease, in the borrowed flesh. Completely human looking, while Carter staggered into the hallway feeling like things moving inside him.

Halversen’s hand slid around Carter’s arm during the internal monologuing, sliding around the muscle, tightening until there was no space between their skin. Well coat and skin. Yanking the arm in question until the stubborn ex-soldier was sliding behind him, unable to get the traction to pull away, on the icy floor.

“Someone left the door open.” Carter muttered, falling into the scientist-creature’s side, slipping over more ice. 

“You’ll need to forgive them.” Halversen’s lips twisted in almost amusement. “I believe they are too busy running for their lives, to be concerned over open doors.”

“Whose fault is that?” 

“Possibly there are walls down as well.” Halversen continued undeterred. 

Carter snorted, ringing buzz filling his ears, while Halversen’s hand squeezed.

****

 ** _Found one_**. 

“ _No, no, no, no, I’m safe, I’m not it, safe, don’t point that at me_.” 

 ** _Slow, safe, look away warm blood_**.

****

Ahhhhhiiiiieeeeee

Carter’s head whipped around, almost falling to his knees, until the being holding his arm yanked him straight. Meanwhile the human scream, transforming mid breath into an alien shriek,  continued filling the air with the sounds of the dying. 

High, static charged, roaring pain until it broke off in the death of one form and the creation of the new, _changed_ , _creature_.

Halversen glanced over his shoulder, brief irritation passing over the cool features, before a head shake hid any emotion.

“The humans were rather foolish.” Halversen spoke like one would about the amount of snow to expect on a daily basis. Like he was accepting annoyance at something that couldn’t be helped. “They let a small, brainless you’d say, piece loose. And let it feed.”

“Piece of what.” Carter growled, trying to yank away from the other.

“A piece of me. What other alien have you had to deal with?” 

And that was amusement tinged with _jealously_? Carter stayed silent glaring at what he could, namely the floor, until his alien continued.

“Another human was killed. Most unfortunate.”

Carter inhaled sharply, _please don’t let it be Kate_ , missing Halversen’s eyes going flat and angry. 

“It seems it found more.” The ice chips were back in Halversen’s voice and eyes. “It takes more effort to create something... human. Capable of rational thought and more than mere echoes. Whoever it has found must be reduced to their basest elements.”  

Carter pulled back, yanking away, a crawling needy feeling filling his chest, until he was staggering backwards down the the hallway from the Thing, _frozen bastard_.

“The cold has incredible preservative effects.” Halversen grimaced. “At this point I am more interested in other matters. And bastard is such a cultural creation. It has no place in a scientific place.”

Carter’s fingers twitched, pain stabbing behind through his eyes, drilling inwards until it reached his mind. One hand, shaking, rose to brushed  at his nose where-

“Soldiers.” Halversen’s head cocked, inhuman and still. “Interesting.”

 _Blood_. Dripping, fresh thick copper scent filling the air, splashing drop by drop against the ice and wood. And the arching, twisting, feeling. Waking up inside his chest and blinking bloody eyes.

“Are you paying any attention?”

 _It was inside him_.

Carter fell forwards, arms clamped around is middle, as the slick feeling of something _fucking_ _moving_ wriggled around. Blue eyes rolling back into his head, whole body shuddering in time with the pulsing movements, unable to decide if it was pain or pleasure coursing through his arteries.

“So curious.” Halversen cocked his head, studying Carter as the pilot spasmed and keened. “You should have changed by now.”

Halversen swept forwards, brushing his hand just above the white knuckles digging into heavy clothing and hidden skin, stiff smirk in place.

“Interesting. You appear to be changing internally only. If that.”

 _Whimper_. The thing was moving, tearing into organs, blood vessels, arteries, filling every spare gap of the pilot, and more. Near explosion full. Tearing him apart and remaking him into something new. 

Footsteps came closer, shockingly out of place, between Halversen’s silence and Carter’s high pitched whines. And the scientist was already practically pressed against the pilot’s side.

Carter glanced up, blinking heavily, actual sweat dripping down his face, staring past the human form before him. 

Olav was at the door, hands clasped over ears, face distant and vacant. The dark brown iris was gone, obviously gone in the blown pupils, replaced by manic blood. 

Carter heaved forwards, retching loudly, acid burning his throat as everything in the past year came up at once. The movement in his stomach bulged, twitching, as a new player entered and stared inside.

Blue eyes, same as the almost blue snow surrounding the base, opened. Liquid, pink splashes, and a chunk of wriggling red muscle reaching towards him. Carter hiccuped, weakly shoving himself backwards, away from the things trying to kill and or take over his body.

He looked up to scream and met Olav’s eyes. Pink swirls and tears dripped down the guide’s face, slowly staining the short beard red. Much darker red than Jonas’ pride. Just above the normal eyes a third one blinked at the pilot. Iris the color of fresh spilling blood and pupil like old decayed blood.

Then skin started sloughing off, sliding down and peeling away from rotten muscle and deep flesh. Olav’s eyes, all bloody three of them, locked onto Carter’s as he screamed and start ripping at loose flesh. Huge sections and clothing torn away, sliding down the violently twitching body. 

Halversen watched in interest, foot coming down automatically to crush the moving worm by Carter, seeing tentacles short and long ripping out of muscles and dancing in the air.

Olav fell to his hands and knees, back arching, bones cracking and shifting with wet noises. 

The head turned triangular, body lean and predatory, muscles and tendons splitting apart and reforming as it stalked forwards. 

“Isn’t he beautiful.” Halversen looked again at his helpless pilot. The icy eyes surrounded by a rising tide of blood. “How much damage he could cause in seconds. All the energy, hate, streamlined and going after the fleeing food.”

“Is that what you see us as?” Carter’s voice broke on ‘what’, hoarse, raw, tasting bile and blood with every gasp. 

“So far the majority seem capable of nothing else.” Halversen smirked down at him, one small twist of the lips, blue eyes slowly being surrounded by blood, staring through Carter. “But interesting creatures. Unlike any I have seen before.”

The red ring grew thicker as the Norwegian talked, clipped words becoming more languid, like he was tasting them. Every one of his movements sinuous, screaming as inhuman as the erratic tentacles behind the scientist. 

The Olav-thing, if there was anything of the soft guide left in the beast, growled, a deep, bone shaking noise stabbing through Carter’s skull. Stalking around Halversen and circling Cater, small tentacles ripping free of the raw flesh, brushing against the pilot’s clothes, searching for weakness.

It was the lab all over again. This time he could see the creature stalking him, outside of his head, still with the feeling of being watched internally, looking for any injuries, as they moved. Any ways inside. The rippling feeling in his stomach paused, had to stop under the weighted glare of stronger predators, but he was going to start puking again if something didn’t _back the fuck off_. 

Halversen blinked, once, alien presence pulling away immediately from the greenish looking pilot. The red pulled away from his eyes as well leaving them, possibly colder, but a human blue. While the tiger like Olav pulled away sharply, backing up, crouching until it was lying by Halversen’s feet.

“I do find it intriguing,” Halversen paused, with the look the other Norwegians got when trying to translate Americanisms. “How a species can have some members capable of outward thought while others are not.”

“What?” 

Halversen cocked his head, sharp angle making his neck appear broken, hint of sharp fangs behind his smirk. Quiet as what was left of Olav moved again, lifting, stretching, mouthes tearing open and closing along it’s side as it moved. 

Approaching slowly, Carter shuddered as the alien presence brushed against his mind, hesitant touches threatening harsher one, the thing stopped to one side, catlike face expectant, and stared.  The other alien pressed against, knees buckling as the purring presence eroded his self control. 

The pressure was somewhere between electrifying pain, and feeling every one of your nerves singing in orgasm. _Not_ a feeling he wanted to associate with the brain and body rapers. And the feeling kept pressing against the small of his back, forcing Carter forwards, bowing at Halversen’s knees in his attempt to pull away at the same time.

The pilot shoved backwards, keening as the _pleasurepain_ turned all _pain_ , stumbling, falling over at Halversen’s feet. A hand, fingers too long and stretching longer, gripped his jaw, moving along until the nails sank into his neck. 

Digging in tight.

 _This would be outward thinking_. Halversen’s voice echoed along the the alien touch.  _He found you desirable. I agree, you have qualities to be fond of, as troublesome as you are_.

Carter gasped, hiccuping gasps, burning alive, twisting back and forth as he tried to escape. Pleasure that wasn’t his, and the urge to drink the spilled blood, becoming hard to resist. Hard to remember it _wasn’t_ his.

“Calm down.” _Do be quiet_ , the other smirked calmly. His hand moved, covering Cater’s mouth, fingers with fresh blood drops tapping against the pilot’s thin nose. 

“Hey! What the fuck?!” 

Blue eyes focused, contracting to pin points, gasping as the fingers around his jaw tightened in anger. More of the bright blood spilling around the sharpening talons. 

Jameson. 

Alone at the end of the hall behind the creatures. Looking further up, Carter met the Thing’s insane red eyes set in Halversen’s angry face, and Jameson missed it. 

The catlike thing roared, shooting past captive and captor, the two lethal looking tentacles arched above its’ back as it ran, Jamison’s hands were up as he screamed back, gun a darker hole in his hands.

The bullets slowed down, hanging in the air like metallic stars, skidding and tearing along the beast’s side, blood shrieking as it splashed against the walls. The first tentacle stabbed through Jamison’s hands, shattering flesh and metal like thin ice, the next barbed tentacle stabbed into the man’s chest, smashing him backwards against the wall, alien flesh slicing through his insides until the barbs sank deep into the wood behind them. 

Oxygen vanished, living was suddenly more important than watching gory tentacles sliding in  and out of his best friend. Carter’s pale eyes dragged back to Halversen’s twitching lips and red ice eyes. 

The soldier twisted, hands grabbing onto the other, trying to fight off the Thing.

 _Enough_. “There’s only” _so far, you_ “can run.”


End file.
